Six main wheat market classes exist, five of which belong to the species Triticum aestivum L.: common wheat, hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, and white. The sixth class of wheat is durum (Triticum turgidum L.). Common wheats are used in a variety of food products such as bread, cookies, cakes, crackers, and noodles. In general, the hard wheat classes are milled into flour used for breads and the soft wheat classes are milled into flour used for pastries and crackers. Wheat starch is used in the food and paper industries, as laundry starches, and in other products. Products produced from wheat may include grain, flour, baked goods, cereals, pasta, beverages, livestock feed, biofuel, straw, construction materials, and starches.
Wheat, including soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), is an important and valuable field crop. A continual need exists for medium maturing varieties that have a high yield potential with good disease and pest resistance, for example varieties with the maturity and disease and insect resistance necessary in a desired geographical region, such as in the Southeastern United States.